Apparatus and method for forming a piecing end for wound yarn

ABSTRACT

Apparatus for forming a piecing end for yarn wound on a rotatable support including a traveller movable along a reciprocating path parallel to the longitudinal axis of the support, a yarn guide pivotally mounted on the traveller and having a normal position for forming primary windings on the support and an extended position for forming piecing end windings on the support, and actuator members disposed at opposite ends of the reciprocating path for contacting the yarn guide to change positions thereof, the actuator member operable to place the yarn guide in the extended position being selectively movable to an inoperative position unable to contact the yarn guide such that, after initial forming of piecing end windings, the yarn guide remains in the normal position for forming primary windings on the support. A method of winding yarn on a rotating support including moving a traveller pivotally carrying a yarn guide toward an end of a reciprocating path with the yarn guide in the normal position, pivoting the yarn guide to an extended position to catch yarn to be wound at a point near the end of the reciprocating path and deliver the yarn to an end portion of the support to form piecing end windings, moving the traveller back towards an opposite end of the reciprocating path with the yarn guide in the extended position, returning the yarn guide to a normal position for forming primary windings on the support at the opposite end of the reciprocating path, and moving the traveller back and forth along the reciprocating path with the yarn guide in the normal position to form piecing end windings around the support.

United States Patent 91 Sartori APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FORMING A PIECING END FOR WOUND YARN [75] Inventor: Roland Sartori, Riorges, France [73] Assignee: Rhone-Poulenc-Textile, Paris,

France [22] Filed: Oct. l6, 1972 [21] Appl. N0.: 297,730

[52] US. Cl. 242/18 PW, 242/43 [51] Int. Cl B65h 54/34 [58] Field of Search 242/18 PW, 18 EW, 43

[56] References Cited 1 UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,597,537 5/1952 Sigmon 242/18 PW UX FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1,342,887 10/1963 France 242/18 PW 1,394,672 2/1965 France 242/18 PW Primary ExaminerStanley N. Gilreath Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Sherman & Shalloway [57] ABSTRACT Apparatus for forming a piecing end for yarn wound on a rotatable support including a traveller movable along a reciprocating path parallel to the longitudinal July 16, 1974 axis of the support, a yarn guide pivotally mounted on the traveller and having a normal position for forming primary windings on the support and an extended position for forming piecing end windings on the support, and actuator members disposed at opposite ends of the reciprocating path for contacting the yarn guide to change positions thereof, the actuator member operable to place the yarn guide in the extended position being selectively movable to an inoperative position unable to contact the yarn guide such that, after initial forming of piecing end windings, the yarn guide'remains in the normal position for forming primary windings on the support. A method of winding yarn on a rotating support including moving a traveller pivotally carrying a yarn guide toward an end of a reciproeating path with the yarn guide in the normal position, pivoting the yarn guide to an extended position to catch yarn to be wound at a point near the end of the reciprocating path and deliver the yarn to an end portion of the support to form piecing end windings, moving the traveller back towards an opposite end of the reciprocating path with the yarn guide in the extended position, returning the yarn guide to a normal position for forming primary windings on the support at the opposite end of the reciprocating path, and moving the traveller back and forth along the reciprocating path with the yarn guide in the normal position to for piecing end windings around the support.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FORMING A PIECING END FOR WOUND YARN BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention pertains to the winding of textile yarn and, more particularly, to method and apparatus for winding such yarn on a rotating support to form a piecing end for the wound yarn.

2. Discussion of the Prior Art Yarn bundles utilized in the textile industry are customarily provided with a piecing end; that is, a portion of the yarn in the bundle near an end of the support on which the yarn is wound is left exposed to define an end of the yarn bundle which may be attached or pieced to an end of another yarn bundle to permit uninterrupted reeling or other operations with several bundles. The piecing end,'sometimes referred to as a piecing winding, a reserve winding or a transfer tail, is normally formed of several loops of yarn, either contiguous or spaced, at an end portion of the winding support with the primary windings formed along the length of the support. The term yarn bundle as utilized hereinin- -eludes any quantity of yarn wound around a support, suchas'spools, cops or spindles, for example; and, the

term yarn as utilizedherein includes any elongate assembly of filaments or fibers of simple or complex structure for use in textile manufacturing.

Piecing ends are desirably formed on all yarn bundles to be utilized in groups where uninterrupted operation is desired, such piecing ends being accordingly formed on cop windings produced by winding with a ring and traveller and on windings made with zero twist on a winding machine. Where windings are formed with a ring and traveller, the piecing end can be made by shifting the ring rail out of its normal up and down course at the commencement of winding, and in forming the zero twist windings on a winding machine where the yarn is distributed along the winding support by a primary yarn guide, such as a reciprocating guide or a slit drum, an auxiliary guide can be used to form the piecing end, the auxiliary guide generally being movable to control the yarn during the time necessary to form the piecing end. Once the piecing end is formed, the auxiliary guide releases the yarn for control by the primary yarn guide.

Another manner of forming piecing ends utilizes a reciprocating distributor guide which is shifted from its normal course and held motionless for a period of time sufficient to permit forming of the piecing-end, as'disclosed in French patents l.,342,887 and 1,394,672.

While the above described methods and apparatus adequately form piecing ends for many applications, especially for slow or' medium speed winding operations where the piecing end is generally formed semiautomatically, these methods and apparatus cannot be utilized for operations where yarn is delivered continuously and wound at high speeds greater than 3,000

m/min. in that the time available for forming the piecing end is extremely small, normally only fractions of a second. Thus, the piecing end must be formed by very simple method and apparatus utilizing a minimum number of moving parts and not requiring manual labor. That is, the operation of forming a piecing end where yarns are delivered continuously at high speed is required to be fully automatic in order not to greatly retard the winding operation.

While, theoretically, it is possible to automate the movement of an auxiliary guide, such automation in practice requires extremely complex mechanical assemblies and thereby suffers the disadvantages of low reliability and high cost. Furthermore, the problem of forming a piecing end automatically is additionally compounded if the piecing end is to be captive, that is, if the piecing end is to include a loop locked under further loops. One reason for increased difficulty inautomatically producing captive piecing ends is that the yarn guide utilized for forming the piecing end must be provided with a reciprocating movement; and, to provide such movement, the drive and control systems for the auxiliary guide require such complexity as to be inoperative in the rapid execution of the piecing end forming operation and as to be infeasible with respect to cost.

Apparatus and methods utilizing a reciprocating guide shifted from its normal course andheld motionless for a predetermined period of time are, similarly, not adequate to provide piecing ends quickly and easily enough for use withyarn wound at high speed in that the resulting piecing ends from such methods and apparatus normally have loops which are not only contiguous but which straddle or overlap each other. Accordingly, the yarn at the piecing end is not easy to wind and utilize, and this type of piecing end is' presently being abandoned. Additionally, such methods and apparatus are useful only simultaneously with a row of aligned spools and there is no known manner of modifying such methods and apparatus for use at a single spooling station individually. r

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, it is a primary object of the present invention to form piecing ends for yarn bundles wound at high speed while overcoming the above-mentioned disadvantages.

Another object of the present invention is to form a piecing end for wound yarn utilizing a reciprocating yarn guide without complex mechanical assemblies.

A further object of the present invention is to move a reciprocatingyarn guide from a normal position for forming primary windings around a support to an extended position for forming a piecing .end around an form primary windings around the support.

Yet another object of the present invention is to utilize the same yarn guide for producing both the primary windings of a yarn bundle and a piecing end for the yarn bundle.

Some of the advantages of the present invention over the prior art are that piecing ends can be formed with yarn wound at high speed automatically, without slowing down the winding operation and without requiring human intervention, and that apparatus for forming the piecing end is extremely simple with a minimum of moving parts and is reliable and may be produced at assume a normal position for forming primary windings on the support and an extended position for forming piecing end windings on an end portion of the support, and control devices are disposed at opposite ends of the reciprocating path to control the pivoting of the yarn guide between the normal and extended positions such that movement of the yarn guide between the normal and extended positions corresponds with change in direction of reciprocating movement of the traveller. The

traveller includes a body having stops extending therefrom and a spring connected with. the body and the yarn guide such that the yarn guide ismoved into and held in the normal and extended positions by the spring and stops, the spring providing a snap action movement with minimum vibration once the yarn guide reaches a position just over center.- v

The present invention is generally characterized in apparatus for forming a piecing endv for wound yarn including a support rotatable to wind yarn therearound, a traveller movable back and forth between ends of a reciprocating path parallel'to the longitudinal axis of the support, a yarn guide mounted on the traveller for guiding yarn to the support for winding and having a normal position for forming primary windings on the support and an extended position for forming piecing end windings on the support and control means at the ends of the reciprocating path for controlling the position of the yarn guide means.

The present invention is further generally characterized in a method of winding yarn on a rotating support including moving a yarn guide in a normal position from a first end to a second end in'a reciprocating path parallel to the longitudinal axis of the support, pivoting the yarn guide to an extended position to catch yarn to be wound at a point near the second end of the reciprocating path and deliver the yarn to an end portion of the support for'winding therearound to form a piecing end, moving the yarn guide in the extended position from the second end to the first end of the reciprocating path to deliver yarn for winding around the length of the support, returning the yarn guide to the normal position at the first end of the reciprocating path, and moving the yarn guide in the normal position back and forth between the first and second ends of the reciprocating path to wind the yarn around the length of the support with the exception of the end portion such that the piecing end is exposed.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic illustration of apparatus ac-v cording to the present invention tion 40 of support 12. As traveller 22 begins movement FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of the apparatus of FIG. 1 during formation of primary windings of a yarn bundle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Apparatus according to the present invention is-illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2 and includes a winding frame 10 carrying a spindle, not shown, receiving a tubular winding support 12, such as a pirn or bobbin, around which yarn 14 is to be wound. The support 12 is rotated in any suitable manner, such as by rotating the spindle by meansof an electric motor 16. The support 12 has a longitudinal axis'disposed in a horizontal plane such that the support is rotatable about the axis, and rails 18 are supported on the frame 10 to define a reciprocating path of travel for a yarn guide 20 parallel to the longitudinal axis of and between ends A and B of the support 12. A traveller generally indicated at 22 is driven with a reciprocating movement along rails 18 by any suitable device, such as, for example, by rotation of a'cylinder having a helicoidal groove therein receiving a-follower carried by the traveller 22. By use of suitable gearing motor 16 can rotate the cylinder as well as the spindle.

The traveller 22 includes a body 24 having pins 26 and 28 extending transversely-therefrom to form stops anda hook aperture 30 to which is attached a spring 32. .The yarn guide 20 is carried by an arm-34 which is pivotally mounted on a shaft 36 on the body 24 of the traveller intermediate stops 26 and 28. A hook aperture 38 is centrally disposed on the arm 34, and spring 32 is mounted in tension between apertures 30 and 38. Aperture 30 is disposed in vertical alignment above shaft 36 such that the spring 32 provides a snap overcenter effect as will be described hereinafter.

The arm 34 has a normal position abutting stop 26, as illustrated in FIG. 2, in order to form primary windings around the support and an extended position abutting stop 28, as illustrated in FIG. I, in order to form piecing endwindings around an end portion 40 adjacent end B of the support 12. Control means for effecting movement of the arm 34 between the normal and extended positions includes a stationary actuator member 42 fixed to the frame at a position adjacent one end of the rails 18 aligned with end A of support 12 and a movable actuator member 44 supported on the frame at a position adjacent the opposite end of rails 18 aligned with end B of the support 12 and controlled by a solenoid controller 46 to assume an operative position, as illustrated in FIG. 1, for moving the arm 34 to the extended position and an inoperative position, as illustrated in FIG. 2, retracted by the solenoid so as not to contact the arm '34 during reciprocating movement of the traveller.

In operation, the winding support 12 is mounted on the spindle and rotated while the traveller 22 ismo'ved along the reciprocating path having a length L, as illustrated in FIG. 2. At the commencement of operation, arm 34 is in the normal position, and the actuator member 44 is retracted to its inoperative position, as illustrated in FIG. 2. The yarn 14 is delivered from the top to the bottom of FIG. 1 and held at a position downstream of yarn guide 20 by a vacuum or suction device 52 after passing a cutting-blade 48 and around a guide 50, the yarn passing along apath adjacent the end porfrom the end of the reciprocating path adjacent actuator member 42 towards the end of the reciprocating path adjacent actuator member 44, solenoid 46 is energized to extend actuator member 44 to its operative position; and, when the traveller22 approaches the end of the reciprocating path, the end of actuator member 44 will contact arm 34 to pivot the arm about pin 36 to its extended position, the movement between the normal and extended positions being accomplished with a snap-action due to the overcenter operation of spring 32. That is, spring 32 operates to hold or bias arm 34 in the normal position; however, once the force from contact with actuator member 44 overcomes the bias of spring 32, the arm 34 will be moved toward the extended position and, once the arm is moved passed vertical alignment, the spring 32 will bias the arm into the extended position.

During pivoting movement of the arm 34 from the normal position to the extended position, the yarn guide engages yarn l4 and the yarn is broken or cut downstream of the winding support by blade 48 and begins to wind on the support before the traveller 22 has reached the end of the reciprocating path toward end B. Any conventional means can be used to begin the vinitial winding of yarn 14 on support 12 after the yarn has been cut. For example, hooking or attaching means 60, includes finger 56 integrally mounted on flange 54 of the spindle supporting tube 12 during rotation. After yarn 14 is cut, as by cutting blade 48, finger 56 catches the free end of the yarn and brings it into engagement with support .12 during its rotation to start the initial winding. Once the traveller has reached end B, it commences movement in an'opposite direction toward end A ofthe support and the yarn guide 20 delivers the yarn 14 to form a winding of a first layer of yarn along the support.

When the traveller reaches the end of the reciprocating path at end A of the support, actuator member 42 contacts arm 34 to return the yarn guide to its normal position with the same type of ov'ercenter snap-action as previously described with respect to the movement of the arm to the extended position. During this time, solenoid 46 has been deenergized to retract actuator member 44 to its inoperative position, as illustrated in FIG. 2, such that only primary windings are formed during furth'er reciprocating movement of the traveller.

The winding operation performed at the end portion 40 of the support provides a first layer of yarn wound around the end portion to form the piecing end and the continued reciprocating movement of the traveller 22 effects the formation of primary windings along the length of the support with the exception of the end portion 40. Thus, the piecing end is formed of noncontiguous loops, and includes at least a portion of a loop locked under other loops, the locked loops being obtained immediately after the yarn guide 20 catches the yarn 14 on 'itsinitial movement toward end B. The locked loops form a fcaptive" piecing end which, accordingly, does not require fixing. The loops utilized to capture the piecing end are formed along with the formation of the first layer of windings as the traveller is moved toward end A with arm 34 in the extended position.

Arm 34 is advantageously pivoted in the plane described by the arm during reciprocating movement of the traveller, and the length and the angle of pivoting 'rality of winding stations.

of the arm are determined as a function of the dimensions of the winding support and the position of the piecing end on the end portion of thesupport. It is preferable to construct the arm with a length as small as possible in order to diminish overhang, vibration and inertia 'due to weight; and, consequently, it is advantageous to have the arm pivot through as large an angle as possible. The stops 26 and 28 and the spring 32 serve to reduce vibration and permit smooth transitions between normal and extended positions of the arm.

The control means including the actuator members 42 and 44 for providing pivotal control of the yarn guide between the normal and extended positions are disposed substantially at the level of the ends of the reciprocating path of the traveller, and the control means provides an extremely simple manner in which to'control the position of the yarn guide dueto the direct contact of the actuator members with the arm. It is noted, of course, that intermediate elements and mechanisms can be utilized within-the scope of the present invention to cause the change of position of the yarn guide at the ends of the reciprocating path; however,

the direct contact provided by the embodiment of FIGS. 1 and 2, is preferred due to the simple structure thereof utilizing'a minimum of moving parts thereby increasing stability and reliability of the apparatus.

The operation of the apparatus of the present invention can be completely automatic with the control for actuator member 44 being mechanical, electrical,

pneumatic or the like, however, actuatorv member 44 may alsobe manually controlled either directly or by remote control. Furthermore, controls maybe provided for a plurality of actuator members 44 to simultaneously control the production of piecing ends at a plu- The present invention may be applied to any textile machines having spooling stations with a yarn guide that is reciprocatingly driven, such as, for instance, spoolers, automatic winders, reels and the like, and the use of the present invention provides particularly ad vantageous results for high speed winding in that it allows production of piecing ends at winding speeds on the order or 5,000 to 6,000 m/min. or greater.

Inasmuch as the present invention is subject to many variations, modifications and changes in detail, it is intended thatall matter described above or shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. I

What is claimed'is: v 1. Apparatus for forming a piecing end for wound yarn-comprising:

' a support rotatable about a longitudinal axis to wind yarn thereon; traveller means end to a second'end 'of a reciprocating path parallel to said longitudinal axis of said support; an arm pivotallymounted between first and second positions on said traveller means and having yarn guide means at its end for guiding yarn to said support for winding, said yarn guide means having a normal position for forming primary windings when said arm is in said first position, and having an extended position for forming piecing end windings on said support when said arm is in said second position;

'control means including first and second actuator members disposed at said first and second ends of movable back and forth from a first means pivoting said arm between said first and sec-' ond positions to move said yarn guide means be tween said normal and said extended position, re-

spectively.

2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and second actuator members have ends for contacting said arm and moving said arm tosaid normal position at said first end of said reciprocating path and to said extended position at said second end of said reciprocating path.

3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said control means includes a controller for selectively moving said second actuator member to an operative position to contact said arm when said traveller means reaches said second end of said reciprocating path and to an inoperative position to prevent contact with said arm when said traveller means reaches said second end' of said reciprocating path whereby said arm remains in said normal position when said second actuator member is in said inoperative position.

4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said traveller means includes a body having first and second stops thereon, and spring means connected between said body and said arm to bias said arm in said normal 8 position against said first stop and in said extended position against said second stop.

5. A method of winding yarn on a rotating support comprising the steps of moving a yarn guide in a normal position from a first end to a second end of a reciprocating path parallel to the longitudinal axis of the support;

pivoting the yarn guide to an extended position to catch yarn to be wound at a point near the second end of the reciprocating path and deliver the yarn to an end portion of the support for forming. piecing end windings therearound;

moving the yarn guide in the extended position from the second end to the first end of the reciprocating path to deliver yarn for winding around thelength of the support; I

returning the yarn guide to the normal position at the first end of the reciprocating path; and

moving the yarn guide in the normal position back and forth between the first and second ends of the reciprocating path to form primarywindings of the RPT-7 I UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE I CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Pateht No. $823,884 V Dated July 16. 1974 Inventor(s) Roland SARTORI It is certified that error appears in the above-idefitified patent and that said Letters Patent'arehereby corrected as shown below:

Io the-Heading, insert patentee's claim for priority as follows:

-- Claims priority, application France, No. 7l/i39,878,

October 29, 1971.

Signed and sealed this 29th day of October 1974.

.(SEAL) Attest:

McCOY M. GIBSON JR. c. MARSHALL DANN Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents FORM PO-1050 (10-69) USCOMM-DC 60376-P69 U. 5. GOVIRNMENT HUNTING OFfJCE: I969 0-366-334 

1. Apparatus for forming a piecing end for wound yarn comprising: a support rotatable about a longitudinal axis to wind yarn thereon; traveller means movable back and forth from a first end to a second end of a reciprocating path parallel to said longitudinal axis of said support; an arm pivotally mounted between first and second positions on said traveller means and having yarn guide means at its end for guiding yarn to said support for winding, said yarn guide means having a normal position for forming primary windings when said arm is in said first position, and having an extended position for forming piecing end windings on said support when said arm is in said second position; control means including first and second actuator members disposed at said first and second ends of said reciprocating path respectively, said control means pivoting said arm between said first and second positions to move said yarn guide means between said normal and said extended position, respectively.
 2. The apparatus as recited in claim 1 wherein said first and second actuator members have ends for contacting said arm and moving said arm to said normal position at said first end of said reciprocating path and to said extended position at said second end of said reciprocating path.
 3. The apparatus as recited in claim 2 wherein said control means includes a controller for selectively moving said second actuator member to an operative position to contact said arm when said traveller means reaches said second end of said reciprocating path and to an inoperative position to prevent contact with said arm when said traveller means reaches said second end of said reciprocating path whereby said arm remains in said normal position when said second actuator member is in said inoperative position.
 4. The apparatus as recited in claim 3 wherein said traveller means includes a body having first and second stops thereon, and spring means connected between said body and said arm to bias said arm in said normal position against said first stop and in said extended position against said second stop.
 5. A method of winding yarn on a rotating support comprising the steps of moving a yarn guide in a normal position from a first end to a second end of a reciprocating path parallel to the longitudinal axis of the support; pivoting the yarn guide to an extended position to catch yarn to be wound at a point near the second end of the reciprocating path and deliver the yarn to an end portion of the support for forming piecing end windings therearound; moving the yarn guide in the extended position from the second end to the first end of the reciprocating path to deliver yarn for wInding around the length of the support; returning the yarn guide to the normal position at the first end of the reciprocating path; and moving the yarn guide in the normal position back and forth between the first and second ends of the reciprocating path to form primary windings of the yarn around the length of the support with the exception of the end portion such that the piecing end is exposed. 